Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plant name ‘AMAZON QUEEN’

ABSTRACT

A new plant variety of  Hibiscus Rosa - sinensis  named ‘AMAZON QUEEN’, characterized by a large ruffled coppery orange flower with a white “eye.” It is a free-flowering plant with an upright, compact habit. The foliage is glossy and dark green.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of HibiscusRosa- sinensis L., which was developed in a controlled breeding programin Webster, Tex. by the originator Mr. Barry Schlueter. The varietaldenomination of the new variety is ‘AMAZON QUEEN’.

The genus Hibiscus comprises about 250 species of herbs, shrubs andtrees in warm temperate and tropical regions; with leaves usuallysimple, mostly palmately veined, lobed or parted; flowers mostlysolitary in the leaf axils but sometimes in racemes, corymbs orpanicles. Hibiscus is included in the family Malvaceae, which comprisesabout 95 genera of herbs, shrubs and trees originating in tropical andtemperate regions. Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis is a glabrate shrub, seldomover 8 feet tall in cultivation, but treelike to 15 feet or more intropical regions. Leaves to 6 inches long, ovate, usually serrate,mostly glossy green. Flowers solitary in upper leaf axils.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Webster, Tex. The objective of the program was to createnew Hibiscus selections with improved bloom quality, color andfloriferousness, plants that can be commercially produced on their ownroot systems, and improved plant habit with regard to vigor andpost-production longevity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety was discovered in a controlled breeding program ofHibiscus Rosa-sinensis and differs from its parents and other knowncultivars of Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis by the following characteristics incombination:

1. Upright, compact symmetrical plant habit that is suitable forcontainer production;

2. Healthy green foliage;

3. Vigorous growth habit;

4. Large unique multi-colored flowers with predominantly orange petalsand a red to pink fading center; and

5. Free-flowering.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety by stem cuttings, performed inWebster, Tex. and Fulshear, Tex. have confirmed that the distinctivecharacteristics of the new variety are stable and transmitted tosucceeding generations, and the new variety reproduces true to type.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS AND OTHER VARIETIES

‘AMAZON QUEEN’ is distinguished from its female parent ‘SCHIZOPHRENIC’(unpatented) by having a more upright habit and its extremely fancyflower that is heavily ruffled and tufted; ‘SCHIZOPHRENIC’ has a lowgrowing habit and its flower is a blend of yellow, orange and pink.‘AMAZON QUEEN’ is distinguished from its male parent ‘LADY EMMA’(unpatented) by its improved branching habit and flower form. ‘LADYEMMA’ is extremely upright, sending out very few lateral branches, andits bloom is so heavily textured that it often fails to open properly.

Plants of ‘AMAZON QUEEN’ can be compared to plants of the cultivar‘GREAT SATAN’ (unpatented). However, in side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Webster, Tex., plants of the new cultivar differ fromplants of the cultivar ‘GREAT SATAN’ in the following characteristics:

1. Flower color of ‘AMAZON QUEEN’ are brighter in color than flowers of‘GREAT SATAN’;

2. Plants of ‘AMAZON QUEEN’ are easier to clone via rooting than plantsof the cultivar ‘GREAT SATAN’; and

3. Plants of ‘AMAZON QUEEN’ possess healthier foliage and a bettergrowth habit than the cultivar ‘GREAT SATAN’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying illustrations show a specimen of the new cultivar in aphotographic illustration as true to color as is reasonably possible tomake in an illustration of this character.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘AMAZONQUEEN’;

FIG. 2 illustrates the scale of a typical flower of ‘AMAZON QUEEN’;

FIG. 3 illustrates the typical young to mature foliage of ‘AMAZONQUEEN’; the abaxial and adaxial surfaces are shown at each stage; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a dissected flower of ‘AMAZON QUEEN’, including shapeand size of petals and characteristics of the reproductive structures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

‘AMAZON QUEEN’ has not been observed under all possible environmental,cultural and light conditions. The following observations anddescriptions are of plants grown in Fulshear, Tex., in October 2001,under polypropylene shadecloth providing a 30% light reduction, andunder conditions which closely approximate commercial production. Plantsdescribed were approximately 1-year old and in a Number 3 nurserycontainer.

In this description, color references are to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart (1995) and terminology used in the colordescriptions herein refers to plate numbers in this color chart.Phenotypic expression may vary with light intensity, cultural andenvironmental conditions.

Classification:

Botanical.—Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis L. ‘AMAZON QUEEN’.

Parentage.—Female: Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis ‘SCHIZOPHRENIC’ (unpatented).Male: Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis ‘LADY EMMA’ (unpatented).

Propagation.—By stem cuttings.

Time to initiate rooting.—Approximately 14 to 21 days at 21° to 24° C.

Time to develop roots.—Approximately 42 to 56 days at 21° to 24° C.

Root description.—Fine to medium; fibrous; freely branching.

Plant:

Size.—Height: Approximately 51 cm from soil level to top of flowers.Diameter/Spread: Approximately 60 cm.

Form & growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen shrub; mostly upright andsomewhat spreading.

Branching.—Freely branching; approximately 4 to 8 lateral branchesdevelop after pinching. Lateral Branches: Approximately 20 cm long and 5mm in diameter. Internode Length: Approximately 4 cm.

Leaf:

Shape.—Cordate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cordate.

Leaf size.—Approximately 10 cm long and 10 cm wide.

Arrangement.—Alternate, single; symmetrical.

Margin.—Undulate with crenulate margins.

Aspect.—Undulate.

Texture/substance.—Glabrous, shiny.

Coloration.—Young Foliage Upper side: Near Yellow-Green Group 144A.Underside: Near Yellow-Green Group 144B. Mature Foliage Upper side: NearGreen Group 137A. Underside: Near Green Group 137D.

Petioles.—Size: Approximately 3 cm long, 3 mm across. Coloration: NearYellow-Green Group 144B. Texture: Smooth.

Hardiness.—USDA Zone 10 (30° F. to 40° F.).

Pests/diseases.—Resistance to known Hibiscus diseases had not beenobserved on plants grown under conditions approximating commercialpractices.

Infloresence:

Bloom period.—Typically year-round under subtropical and tropicalconditions.

Flower arrangement.—Arranged singly at terminal leaf axils;free-flowering with 3 to 4 flower buds and/or open flowers per terminalapex; flowers face upright and slightly outward.

Flower appearance.—Ruffled orange petals with a red “eye” or throatfading to pink and white; flowers are open for about 2 days beforeclosing; flowers persistent.

Buds (just prior to showing color):

Rate of opening.—Approximately 1 or 2 days, depending on temperature.Shape: Elliptic. Length: Approximately 3 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.4cm. Color: Near Yellow-Green Group 144A.

Fragrance.—None noted.

Petals.—Number/Arrangement: Corolla consists of 5 overlapping petals.Shape: Spatulate with rounded apex. Size: Approximately 10 cm long and10 cm wide. Margin: Entire, but ruffled. Texture: Smooth.

Color.—Upper Surface: The “eye” or throat starts at near Red Group 46Aand fades outward to near Red Group 49A and eventually White Group 155A;the outer half of the petal is near Orange Group 26A. Lower Surface: Themajority is near Yellow-Orange Group 20B to 20C, eventually fading tonear White Group 155B at the base of the petal.

Sepals.—Number/Arrangement: 5 sepals fused into a star-shaped calyx.Shape: Linear with acuminate apices. Margin: Entire. Color: NearYellow-Green Group 144A.

Peduncles.—Length: Approximately 4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2 mm.Angle: Upright to about 45°. Strength: Strong, flexible. Color: NearYellow-Green Group 144B.

Reproductive organs:

Androecium.—Stamens: Numerous; about 50. Length: Approximately 5 mm.Filament Color: Near Red Group 49A. Anther size: Approximately 1 mm.Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Yellow-Orange Group 15B.

Gynoecium.—Pistil Length: 8 cm. Stigma appearance: 5; rounded. Stigmadiameter: Approximately 2 mm. Stigma color: Near Orange-Red Group 34A.Style color: Lower third near Orange Group 27C; mid-third near Red Group49B; upper-third near Red Group 49A.

Seed production.—Seed production has not been observed.

I claim:
 1. A new plant variety of Hibiscus Rosa-sinensis of the varietysubstantially as shown and described.